Refinement of a Nursing Concern into an Evidence-based Practice

Refinement of a Nursing Concern into an Evidence-based Practice Proposal Overview of Selected Evidence-based Practice Project Where research investigates and develops new knowledge and theories, evidence-based practice translates that knowledge or those theories into practice. According to Connor (2014), “thepurpose of conducting research is to generate new knowledge or to validate existing knowledge based on a theory. Research studies involve systematic, scientific inquiry to answer specific research questions or test hypotheses using disciplined, rigorous methods.” (Connor, 2014, para. 4). Connor further stresses that in order to be reliable, researchers must utilize the scientific method to conduct their investigations and studies (Connor, 2014). Evidence-based practice differs from research in that it draws from the results of available research and applies that knowledge to clinical practice. Connor (2014) noted that “unlike research, EBP isn’t about developing new knowledge or validating existing knowledge. It’s about translating the evidence and applying it to clinical decision-making. The purpose of EBP is to use the best evidence available to make patient-care decisions” (Connor, 2014, para. 11).According to Stevens (2013), the transition to and acceptance of evidence-based practice has been driven by the need for accountability in the area of patient safety and a demand for quality improvement in the health care industry. “Leaders in the field have defined EBP as ‘Integration of best research evidence with clinical expertise and patient values’ (Sackett et al, 2000, p. ii). Therefore, EBP unifies research evidence with clinical expertise and encourages individualization of care through inclusion of patient preferences.” (Stevens, 2013, para. 8). Identification of the Nursing Concern to be ImprovedMy MSN Program Specialty Track is nursing education in an undergraduate setting. Based upon the increasing emphasis on evidence-based practice, the proper education of future
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3EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE PROPOSALnurses must include training in the fundamentals of evidence-based practice. Theofanidis (2015)believes that teaching the fundamentals of evidence-based practice to undergraduate nursing students “is the basic ‘educational springboard’ for future staff nurses to be able to initiate improvements and change of practice” (Theofanidis, 2015, para. 3). According to Stevens (2013), after evidence-based practice began to become widely accepted as the desired frameworkof the future, numerous models began to be developed that were intended to “guide the design and implementation of approaches intended to strengthen evidence-based decision making” (Stevens, 2013, para. 14). Stevens (2013) noted that over forty-seven different models for evidence-based practice can be found in a review of pertinent litera